Preventing "spam" and "spam messages" on mobile phones
Some of the following measures are instructed on the Anti-Spam Coordination Website
(Baonghean) - Along with the development of the domestic IT&T industry, there has been an explosion of many types of value-added services, additional services based on the use of telecommunications infrastructure, Internet of telecommunications and Internet enterprises in Vietnam (such as entertainment services with prizes, downloading music, images, advertising...). Besides the benefits that these types of services bring, it has revealed limitations, affecting many aspects of social life and the rights of service users through types of emails or spam messages on mobile phones.
Exploding since the end of 2009 and in recent years, "spam" SMS has caused frustration for mobile phone users. Most of these messages appeal to users' curiosity, aiming to trick mobile subscribers into texting back and having their charges deducted. That makes society increasingly have an unfavorable view of advertising via mobile phones.
On August 13, 2008, the Government issued Decree 90/2008/ND-CP to specify the contents on anti-spam in the Law on Information Technology. The Ministry of Information and Communications also issued Circular No. 12/2008/TT-BTTTT guiding some contents in Decree 90/2008/ND-CP to build a strong enough legal corridor system to proactively prevent and eliminate the situation of taking advantage of value-added services on the Internet and mobile information for personal gain. After the issuance and implementation of the documents, SMS "spam" has somewhat subsided.
Recently, SMS spam has "re-emerged" with many new "tricks". In addition to continuing to "entice" mobile phone subscribers to download "hot" pictures, fortune telling, lottery predictions, providing and answering sex advice... there are also contents that closely follow social reality such as the H1N1 flu epidemic (entice texting to learn how to prevent it)... Notably, there are types of messages with content that inform the "victim" to receive gifts such as iPhones, songs sent by others... Not only that, through research, it has also been shown that many types of "spam" blatantly impersonate and "hide" even large enterprises such as VinaPhone, MobiFone by adding the website address www.vinaphone.com.vn or www.mobifone.com.vn at the end of each message to... "reinforce" the reliability and deceive mobile phone users. The content of these messages violates public morality, intellectual property and copyright regulations, and the privacy rights of organizations and individuals. Most spam messages that entice users to compose messages do not publicly disclose the fee so that they can "quietly" extort VND10,000 - VND15,000 from users.
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As the unit directly assigned by the Ministry of Information and Communications to implement anti-spam measures in Vietnam, VNCERT has coordinated with the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications to take drastic action. VNCERT launched a website to coordinate anti-spam at the address (http://antispam.vncert.gov.vn) and request that the content service providers (CPs) must publicly announce the "hotline" phone number to receive feedback as well as requests to refuse to receive advertising messages from mobile phone customers. VNCERT's viewpoint is to thoroughly handle CPs that intentionally violate the law, and if the violation is serious, the number will be revoked or all revenue earned from spreading spam messages will be revoked. However, many CPs believe that because bad guys send advertising messages that lower their reputation or because their CP's own partners spread the advertisements, even if they want to... prevent it, they cannot control it.
In fact, in order to prevent and reduce spam, in addition to the State issuing regulations, it is necessary to combine different measures such as building technical solutions, conducting activities to raise user awareness, and coordinating between domestic organizations and international organizations. In addition, each Internet and mobile phone user can also contribute significantly to preventing and fighting spam and spam messages by declaring accurate information. In fact, most spam SMS messages are sent from prepaid subscribers, so declaring accurate information is the legal value to "catch" the "spam sender". And when receiving spam messages, mobile phone users need to coordinate with relevant authorities to prevent and fight spam and spam messages.
Some of the following measures are instructed on the Anti-Spam Coordination Website(http://antispam.vncert.gov.vn): |
Lan Oanh - Minh Hoi
